Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee. The Minister is pleased that budget 2022 reflects the commitment of the Government to ensuring that our communities are safe and that An Garda Síochána has the resources to be an effective and trusted police service. The budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to unprecedented levels with an allocation of over €2 billion in funding for this year.

As the Deputy is aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management and control of An Garda Síochána and for the effective and efficient use of Garda resources, including the provision of Garda stations. In addition, the Office of Public Works, OPW, has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. Garda accommodation matters are therefore progressed by the Garda authorities working in close co-operation with the OPW. As such, the Deputy will appreciate that the Minister, Deputy McEntee, has no role in relation to this matter and she is not in position to comment on An Garda Síochána’s interaction with other agencies.

As the Commissioner has previously stated, accommodation is a crucial element for facilitating policing activities. We must further proof this in the area. It is for this reason that An Garda Síochána continues to engage with the OPW on capital and maintenance works across Ireland. This includes what the Commissioner has referred to as an exciting project that An Garda Síochána is working on with the OPW and Dublin City Council regarding the development of a substantial new Garda station and facilities on Dublin City Council lands at the corner of the R139 and Malahide Road at Northern Cross.

The Minister understands that discussions around the possibility of Dublin City Council making a site available to An Garda Síochána and to the OPW for the construction of a new Garda station at Northern Cross remain ongoing. As the Deputy can appreciate, until a site is secured, no further update on the status of the application for planning permission or further phases of the project will be available. However, the Minister is assured that the Northern Cross project is considered a strategic priority project by An Garda Síochána.

I hope this is of some assurance to the Deputy. I know that he has raised it consistently directly with the Minister. It is important, as the Deputy said, for good community infrastructure. We look at our census data and our populations are increasing. It is vitally important that communities feel safe. Those issues that the Deputy has raised about assaults and antisocial behaviour are not exclusive to this area, but it is important that people report everything and particularly racial abuse. It is vitally important that that is reported. I hope that the response from the Minister has given some assurance to the Deputy.

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